We've launched!

A new Artistic Director and a major partnership with the City of Stonnington has delivered a massive line-up in this year’s Melbourne Cabaret Festival. 

Artistic Director Mike McLeish has selected over 40 shows from around the country and overseas – over 100 performers – to perform from Tuesday 14 until Sunday 26 June 2016 in a newly centralised festival hub in Prahran incorporating Chapel Off Chapel, The Space Arts and Dance Centre and Love Machine nightclub. Other new initiatives this year include Kids Cabaret, Matinee and Cabaret Fringe programming streams.

Mike says that in Melbourne we are spoilt by an embarrassment of cultural and artistic riches. And this year's Melbourne Cabaret Festival is overflowing with glorious goodness.

“I'm pretty damn proud of what we've put together. From legendary locals and exciting up and comers to numerous treats from all around our great southern land along with a sprinkling of stellar international artists, this winter is shaping up to be smokin' hot. With a newly established festival hub in and around Chapel Off Chapel, our inaugural children's program, as well as our first ever festival fringe program at The Butterfly Club, you better start filling your diaries or syncing your calendars or however it is you like to get yourselves organised, because this is going to be fun.”

City of Stonnington Mayor Cr Claude Ullin says “The Melbourne Cabaret Festival is one of the most innovative and pleasurable evenings. It is fascinating to see so many talented people performing their own scripts and providing welcome entertainment across a broad area. The City of Stonnington is privileged to be part of the Cabaret Festival and looks forward to participating in this year’s event.”

The Opening Gala (Tuesday 14 June) will be hosted by our very own Artistic Director, Mike McLeish. The Closing Night Party will be Australia’s biggest piano bar party.  One ticket gives open access to all the closing night party fun where you can freely wander into different piano bars within Chapel Off Chapel.

Melbourne Cabaret Festival calls Stonnington home

We're proud to announce that the City of Stonnington, through its Arts and Cultural Grants Program, will be our partner for the upcoming festival. 

The partnership will see the creation of a dedicated festival precinct in Prahran, encompassing Stonnington’s premier arts hub, Chapel Off Chapel.

Held from 14 – 26 June, the annual festival will bring colour, vibrancy and energy to the Chapel Street Precinct with an exciting cabaret entertainment program that is still being finalised.

City of Stonnington Mayor Cr Claude Ullin said, “One of the most interesting events that the City of Stonnington supports is the Melbourne Cabaret Festival.”

“The festival showcases the wonderful talents of so many innovative and exciting performers, and has become vehicle for a number of performers to become known nationally,” Cr Ullin added.

The festival’s new Artistic Director, Mike McLeish, says he has received a record number of shows submitting to be part of this year’s festival.

“Submissions to the festival closed at the end of January, and I’m thrilled with the quality and diversity of what we have received through our submission process.”

“The calibre and depth of talent on offer in Melbourne is outstanding and to be in a position that allows me to unleash that talent onto audiences, along with hand-picked acts from interstate and overseas, is extremely rewarding.”

“This year’s festival really is shaping up to be a great success and I look forward to unveiling this outstanding program very soon”, added Mike.

The Melbourne Cabaret Festival is an iconic event on the festival calendar and warms up Melbourne’s winter nights with some fantastic cabaret performances held within venues concentrated in and around Chapel Off Chapel.

For the first time this year, a children’s program will be incorporated into the festival line-up as well as the Melbourne Cabaret Fringe that will run in parallel to the Cabaret Festival and adopt The Butterfly Club in the CBD as its hub.